A Change of Place
by C-Bonde
Summary: A young champion from another world unexpectedly stumbles upon a pathway to the world of Remnant. There, he is implemented into Beacon Academy, and befriends many of the Hunters and Huntresses there. OC, as well as pretty much every RWBY character. Definitely action. There may be fluff or romance along the way.
1. Chapter 1

The Arcanus Mountains. One of Avalon's most beautiful natural landscapes. Nearly touching the very edge of the sky, the mere sight of it was enough to terrify the average acrophobic into tears. Older than anyone alive could remember, the many summits adjacent to one another were often called "The Eternal Peaks." But these mountains held odd secrets.

Curiosity regarding one of its many secrets, was the only thing that the boy felt, as he swiftly dashed through the misty canyons of the Arcanus Mountains. Having taken up an important, fundamental task, he had wasted no time in asking for a friend's help.

A woman's voice filled his hearing, her voice coming from an earpiece. "The estimated location of it should be... a couple more miles. Just keep going!"

The boy held the button on his earpiece.

"Thanks, Cass. Without you, I would have gotten sidetracked in sightseeing…"

His partner chuckled heartily. "The mountains are a hotspot for hikers and explorers alike…" She sighed, blissfully. "Good luck, and be careful, Cliff."

"I will."

That boy, Cliff Hazellon, valued member of the Acrilian Guard, was on a lone-wolf mission. A very important mission, at that. One that would result in the fate of the continent.

As he rounded another rocky turn, he saw a small pack of those creatures, black-furred with white armor-like plates on their bodies. He instantly recognized them as the werewolf variety. After a moment, they took notice and whipped their heads behind themselves, snarling at Cliff. The young man paused his steps, warily eyeing the creatures. "Great… Just great."

This only enhanced the theory that whatever was here, had something to do with the appearance of these monsters.

A couple months ago, these... _things_ had suddenly started popping up around the continent, attacking towns and cities randomly. It wasn't immediately a problem due to local heroism, until they started coming in larger waves each time, their numbers only growing as time passed. Suspicion rose, and various theories popped up from civilians, analysts and scientists alike... but the discovery of this strange, inter-spatial disruption that Cliff was looking for bred only questions, and only one theory.

That a portal of some kind was the source of the beasts.

The wolves surged at him on all fours, throwing their claws at Cliff, their howls baying for blood. Calmly, the human reached his hand out, charging a bright red mass of energy in front of his palm. He released its power just in the nick of time, the shot burning a hole straight through the canine abomination.

Another one dived towards him. Cliff seamlessly whirled around and met the wolf's snout with a hard punch to the face, sending it into a wall. Hearing the growl of a third beast, the boy spun to face it head-on. As it dashed at him, Cliff clenched his fist tightly, and then threw his knuckles into the monster, shattering the bony plates it sported. It cried out in pain, blood spewing from the hole that he had made. The boy grimaced and took a step back at the horrid, gruesome sight. He looked to the remaining wolf. It was frozen in what looked to be fear. The boy almost felt bad. Such a no-holds-barred, one-sided massacre was unlike him... Cringing at the thought, he sighed, running off again.

"I **don't** have time for this."

* * *

Ruby turned her head slowly, staring out of one of the airship's few windows at the vast land and forest that they were passing over. She could barely see it. She tried to rub her dusty eyes, but it only made it worse. She yawned, rather loudly, before perking up at a soft smack on her head. It was Weiss. She threw a scolding glance at her.

"Don't yawn. Stay sharp."

Ruby could hardly make out her pale blue eyes, and groaned, trying to stretch what little muscles she felt she was able to move. "How are you so-"

"I had coffee this morning," The heiress interrupted. "Unlike you, you slept in so late that I had to drag you out of bed… Why didn't you take a mug?" She then gestured over to Yang on the opposite seat on the other side of the airship, who was gingerly sipping a steaming cup of coffee with its contents forming a light brown stache above her lips.

Ruby yawned again. "Whenever... I have coffee, like... I- I have this... strange... reaction..." She scratched her head lazily. "I don't like it…"

Weiss' palm met her face. She sighed. "You probably have an augmented reaction to caffeine, to the extent where it affects your entire behavior. I just hope that it isn't as bad as your cookie rush..."

Ruby looked at her groggily. "That's… not _thaaaaat… baaaad…_ " She hung her head down. "What are we doing again...? And why are we up so early...?"

"We're investigating a Grimm amalgamation near Vale," said Blake, calibrating her Gambol Shroud without looking at the two. She cocked back the pistol, and then neatly placed her hands in her lap. "More than usual."

"We're nearly there!" The green-haired Professor Oobleck chimed in. He readjusted his glasses, taking a brief sip from his canister. "There have been a multitude of reports of Grimm gathering in quantities in far excess of the norm, presenting a dire threat that I'm sure you all understand. The Academy has made the decision that we should eliminate them before the numbers become too major of a threat." He took another drink of his coffee. "I hope you're all ready!"

Weiss, Blake, and Yang all nodded proudly, with Ruby snoring loudly.

* * *

Cliff came to a stop just before a drop over a ledge. As close as he was to the target location, it seemed like a dead end. He tossed a glance over the edge. Absolute darkness lingered below, like a force of its own. He shuddered, internally disgusted.

Cassandra's gentle voice sounded again. "There are enormous amounts of raw Aether near you…" She paused. "... You've reached it. Be careful."

He decided that he was going to be VERY careful. "Roger that..." Hesitantly, he leaped forward into the darkness, using his thermokinetic abilities to manipulate hot air beneath him, steadying the fall downwards.

His feet touched solid ground again, possibly stone. He couldn't see a single thing. He generated a spark of heat from the tip of his finger, which lit up a small span of the area before him. Not enough. He enlarged the spark into a radiant orb of heat, enhancing its size to that of a basketball, and holding it out towards a path that led forward. He took a few steps. No loose ground, no ancient booby trap. Nothing too radical. He proceeded forward. Everything was quiet, but not too quiet. Drops of water tapped the cave floor every couple seconds, and sound was a welcomed faculty. Any more silence, and it would be the deafening variety.

* * *

Oobleck stepped off of the airship that had landed in a forest clearing. "We're here."

Ruby staggered out onto the ground. "Ahoy..."

She looked like she was about to fall, when Blake caught her. "Come on, Ruby."

The redhead groaned. "But I'm so tired…" Her eyelids felt like bricks, and her body felt sluggish and rusty.

Oobleck raised an eyebrow. "Tired? Here, Miss Rose." He handed her his coffee canister. She took a sip.

Her pupils shrank, and her body started shaking rapidly. She threw her hands up in the air with a jubilant shout. "Time to _SLAY SOME GRIMM!"_

Yang cracked her knuckles, popping her neck. "That's the spirit!"

Oobleck waved a hand as he called for the team's attention. "We can split up. They may have a nesting ground. Keep in touch via scrolls."

The team nodded. "Right!"

* * *

Cliff treaded lightly across the cave floor. Silence was a sound, save for the droplets of water falling from the ceiling. From what was lit up before him, he could see that the cave had opened up into a great chamber.

"Hmm..." He levitated the sphere of energy he held, and bit by bit, increased its mass, and amplified its luminosity. Suddenly, the path narrowed, and curved to the right. He followed it, letting it light the way.

There was a sense of disconnection as he felt the air around him. Without even seeing, he knew that no life lingered down here. It was a slightly haunting feeling. He felt alone, but not _lost._ There was nothing here, but, at the same time, he felt that there was… _something_ to be found. Something old and strange. It may have been something he couldn't see. With that regard, he acknowledged calmly that nothing else besides him, had ever set foot here. As though this chamber had been untouched by life since it came into being.

Goosebumps ran up his spine and neck. Bit by bit, the air grew... colder.

Cliff coughed, seeing his breath dissolve in the air as a clear, light mist. It wasn't just chilly. As he proceeded, it got progressively colder. Under what circumstances would a cave such as this have varying temperatures? Static in his earpiece interrupted the thought.

"Cliff... lose... ca... signal..." He held his finger to the mic.

"Cass? I can't hear you..."

More static responded.

"Beneath... deep... ze..." The sound faded entirely, Cass's voice cutting off.

"... Damn," he cursed. Connection was lost. He pressed the mic button again, hopeful.

"Just... don't worry. I'll be fine."

He was almost hoping to be met with more static. Sighing, he continued on.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Last time…**_

 _A couple months ago, these... things had suddenly started popping up around the continent, attacking towns and cities randomly. It wasn't immediately a problem due to local heroism, until they started coming in larger waves each time, their numbers only growing as time passed. Suspicion rose, and various theories popped up from civilians, analysts and scientists alike... but the discovery of this strange, inter-spatial disruption that Cliff was looking for bred only questions, and only one theory._

 _That a portal of some kind was the source of the beasts._

 _"We're investigating a Grimm amalgamation near Vale," said Blake, calibrating her Gambol Shroud without looking at the two. She cocked back the pistol, and then neatly placed her hands in her lap. "More than usual."_

 _"We're nearly there!" The green-haired Professor Oobleck chimed in. He readjusted his glasses, taking a brief sip from his canister. "There have been a multitude of reports of Grimm gathering in quantities in far excess of the norm, presenting a dire threat that I'm sure you all understand. The Academy has made the decision that we should eliminate them before the numbers become too major of a threat." He took another drink of his coffee. "I hope you're all ready!"_

 _The team nodded. "Right!"_

 _There was a sense of disconnection as Cliff felt the air around himself. Without even seeing, he knew that no life lingered down here. It was a slightly haunting feeling. He felt alone, but not lost. There was nothing here, but, at the same time, he felt that there was… something to be found. Something old and strange. It may have been something he couldn't see. With that regard, he acknowledged calmly that nothing else besides him, had ever set foot here. As though this chamber had been untouched by life since it came into being._

 _"Cass? I can't hear you..."_

 _"Beneath... deep... ze..." The sound faded entirely, Cass' voice cutting off._

 _"Just... don't worry. I'll be fine."_

 _He was almost hoping to be met with more static. Sighing, he continued on._

* * *

Ruby had gone to the south, towards a tall cliffside. Stepping through the foliage, she pushed aside a branch.

"Come out, come out, monsters..."

So far, there was no direct sign of an abnormal Grimm count. Ruby suspected they were most likely just all gathered in one place... but where?

A growl suddenly came from behind her, her head automatically whipping around. A single Beowolf emerged from the bush, baring its teeth menacingly and slowly standing on its hind legs.

"Pfft, just one? Come on, give me a challenge…" She chortled.

More subsequent growling made her realize she had spoken too soon. Turning around, behind her she saw two more Beowolves.

"Pssh... This is nothing…"

A Beowolf lunged at her. Ruby dodged to the side without effort, calmly pulling out Crescent Rose in its gun form, aiming at the Grimm and taking a single shot at it. Its body flew back into a tree, knocking it out. The other two wolves growled, baring their teeth, but they didn't get a chance to attack. Ruby casually fired at another, taking it out with a single shot. Finally, she glanced at the last wolf remaining. Realizing its heavy inferiority, the Grimm turned tail and ran in the other direction, much to the girl's confusion.

A synapse fired in her head.

 _Wait... it must be retreating... I can follow, and it will take me to its hideout._

Ruby leaped up onto a tree branch. Looking in the direction of the retreating Beowolf, it was only then that she saw the high cliff in the distance.

 _There must be a cave…_ She thought.

From the trees, she stalked the creature, as it made its way to the cliff. As it reached a clearing, the creature looked behind it, before receding into the darkness of a cave at the bottom of the cliffside. Ruby dropped down from the branch she was perched on, scanning her surroundings.

 _Alright, the coast is clear…_ She ventured in.

Ruby peered into the mouth of the cave. It stretched from left to right, into a large cavern with almost pillar-like formations that connected the floor to the ceiling. Gun in hand, she ventured deeper into the cave.

* * *

The path stretched on and on. Cliff had to create a layer of heat around his body to protect himself from contracting mild hypothermia.

 _I must be deep within the planet by now..._ He thought. Picking up the pace, he started moving faster, but at a steady rate. _This seems endless..._

The temperature down here must have been way below zero. What was down here, making this place so cold?

As he sped on, he felt an abrupt numbing sensation in his head. "Oouughh…"

He skidded to a halt. "Wha-" Before he could finish the word, he suddenly felt an immense pressure blasting down on him. As if the air was compressing itself around him, squeezing his body inward. The pressure pushed him to his knees, coughing and hacking, but the pain only lasted for a moment.

"What... what the hell was that?"

He stood there, motionless for a moment, before rising to his feet. Something about the tunnel felt... different. He dismissed his heat armor, and noticed that the temperature was slightly, but noticeably warmer. He took in a deep breath, bringing in the faint scent of nature. Rather odd, since he must have been miles beneath the surface by now.

"Weird..."

He looked around. The tunnel seemed larger than a second before. The ceiling must have been fifteen feet high. _What happened?_ Could the momentary spasm he had just had, been a subconscious reaction to the change in environment? How in the world could the tunnel suddenly expand in...

Cliff almost jumped out of his skin, as he heard a deep, low growl from behind him. His breath caught in his throat, and he turned around slowly, coming face-to-face with what appeared to be ten red eyes glowing in the darkness, only a couple feet from him.

" _Oh no."_

* * *

Moving calmly through the darkness, Ruby stepped out of a rocky tunnel in the cave, into a large, cavernous room. The silence was starting to get unnerving. She hadn't yet spotted a creature of the Grimm, but suspected it was only a matter of time before she would.

 _Hmm... Maybe... I could lure them out,_ She thought. _But how...?_

"AHHH!"

Suddenly, out of absolutely nowhere, a scream resounded through the cavern Ruby flinched and jumped, startled, pointing Crescent Rose in the direction of the sound. She looked up. "... Huh?"

There was a loud thud, as something hit the ground right in front of her. She flinched again. A single look corrected Ruby that this was not a something, but _someone._ A young man with brown hair and green eyes, wearing a black overcoat over a red shirt, as well as black trousers.

Cliff looked up immediately, his eyes locking with the silvery eyes of a young girl with red hair, wearing a cape and corset.

Ruby's eyes widened in wonder. She was deep inside a cave that was supposedly the nesting grounds of a plethora of Grimm. That made it a dangerous place for humans. Furthermore, everything had been completely silent just a moment before, and on top of that, this person looked to be in prime health- not beat up or anything. There was no immediate sign or indication that he had been here for long, and if he had been, she would have found evidence, or at least noticed him before. Her imagination kicked in, and there was only one remaining explanation: This boy hadn't fallen, he had just _appeared completely_ _out of nowhere._

Cliff's mind raced, trying to rationalize the situation at hand. Unfortunately, he couldn't. Why would a seemingly normal young lady be so deep underground, especially looking to be in perfect health even though being miles away from civilization? Where was he, anyway? One second he was just barely dodging a scorpion beast's attack, and the next, he had fallen here. _Was this an illusion? A dream?_

They stared at each other for a moment. Ruby rubbed her eyes. Indeed, odd things happened to her, but this boy seemed like more of an oddity. She put her gun away, not wanting to scare or intimidate the peculiar soul before her.

She reached a hand out. "Uh... hiya!"

Cliff cocked his head to the side, but didn't get time to respond. He looked up, and saw the same creature that was chasing him a second before, perched on the wall. It pounced towards them.

"WATCH OUT!"

In an instant, Cliff grabbed a hold of the girl, and spun back, dodging the creature's strike. They rolled across the cavern floor. He sprung to his feet and saw the girl a couple feet away from him, and dashed over.

"Are you alright?"

Ruby rolled over, pushing herself to her knees, looking at the boy. "I-I am!"

The moment had gone by like lightning. Cliff helped her to her feet, facing the creature.

Ruby whipped out Crescent Rose. "Deathstalker!" She aimed her gun at it.

The boy furrowed a brow. "... Deathstalker? What's a Deathstalker?" He asked, confused.

Ruby looked at him sternly. "A dangerous creature of Grimm!" She replied, cocking her gun. "Can you fight?"

Cliff nodded. "I can."

"Good, I could use your help- here it comes!"

The beast charged at them.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Last Time...**_

 _Ruby's eyes widened in wonder. She was deep inside a cave that was supposedly the nesting grounds of a plethora of Grimm. That made it a dangerous place for humans. Furthermore, everything had been completely silent just a moment before, and on top of that, this person looked to be in prime health- not beat up or anything. There was no immediate sign or indication that he had been here for long, and if he had been, she would have found evidence, or at least noticed him before. Her imagination kicked in, and there was only one remaining explanation: This boy hadn't fallen, he had just appeared completely out of nowhere._

 _Cliff's mind raced, trying to rationalize the situation at hand. Unfortunately, he couldn't. Why would a seemingly normal young lady be so deep underground, especially looking to be in perfect health? Where was he, anyway? One second he was just barely dodging a scorpion beast's attack, and the next, he had fallen here. Was this an illusion?_

 _Cliff cocked his head to the side, but didn't get time to respond. He looked up, and saw the same creature that was chasing him a second before, perched on the wall. It pounced towards them._

 _"WATCH OUT!" In an instant, Cliff grabbed a hold of the girl and spun back, dodging the creature's strike. They rolled across the cavern floor. He sprung to his feet and saw the girl a couple feet away from him, and dashed over._

 _"Are you alright?"_

 _Ruby rolled over, pushing herself to her knees, looking at the boy. "I-I am!"_

 _The moment had gone by like lightning. Cliff helped her to her feet, facing the creature._

 _Ruby drew her weapon. "Can you fight?"_

 _Cliff nodded. "I can."_

 _"Good, I could use your help- here it comes!"_

 _The beast charged at them._

* * *

The Deathstalker jabbed forward with its twin claws, Cliff and Ruby both jumping up out of the way, dodging the attack and circling the beast. Cliff quickly dashed around to its back, extending his arm forward and firing a beam of heat at it from behind. The creature snarled, quickly turning around, and raised its claw above its head, preparing to strike.

Just before it hit him, a shot from Ruby's Crescent Rose stunned the creature through a direct eye shot.

"Strike, now!" she yelled to Cliff.

The latter nodded, and leaped into the air, crashing a drop kick down upon the distracted Deathstalker's head. The beast cried in pain, thrashing its claws around, Cliff quickly jumping back away from it.

The creature looked to where Ruby was, and charged for her. The huntress sped out of the way, as the Deathstalker snapped its pincers, missing, and getting a claw lodged in a wall. Ruby immediately turned around and shot it twice. It was easier to maneuver with Crescent Rose in its gun form.

The beast yanked its arm out, roaring and lunging for her.

Just in time, Cliff shot a ray of heat in front of the Deathstalker, making it flinch, interrupting its attack. He shot another beam at it, trying to frustrate it. He glanced at Ruby. "I'll distract it! Attack while it's exposed!"

The Deathstalker roared, and dashed at Cliff. He swallowed. It must have been _pissed._ He summoned as much energy as possible, and launched a tidal wave of heat at the monster. It flinched from the power- just long enough for Ruby to close the gap, and fire her scythe straight through its poisonous tail tip, the bulbous pod dropping onto its head, piercing the armor. The Deathstalker screeched in pain, flailing about, but it couldn't move, pinned down by the severed end of its own tail. A perfect opportunity. Cliff bounded forward, kinetic vibrations swelling in his fist.

With untold strength, he plunged his fist down into the Deathstalker's head, shattering the bony helmet into multiple pieces and shards of armor. A great rumble roared through the cave, the ground beneath the monster cracking, succumbing under the strength and force of Cliff's punch. With a final push, he drove its body down halfway, lodging it into the floor, vanquished.

Surely it would become a fossil overtime.

Cliff stood up, pulling his fist out of the cartilage of the monster, his knuckles dripping with blood. He simply shook his wrists casually, and looked over to the girl, who was simply staring at him, wide-eyed.

"Whoa… You're strong…" She commented.

Cliff managed a friendly grin. And then, he remembered. He didn't even know her name.

He cleared his throat, scratching his head idly. "I didn't get your name before, so-"

She waved a hand after snapping out of her trance. "Ruby. Ruby Rose." She flashed a smile at him. "You?"

"Clifford Hazellon- but just call me Cliff, it's what everyone else calls me." He smiled. A nod came from Ruby.

Silence dropped between them suddenly. Cliff's mind shifted back to what had happened just a couple minutes before. He had fallen out of nowhere.

"So, how'd you get here, Cliff?" Ruby asked suddenly, squinting. "You just popped out of thin air… Where'd you come from?"

Cliff blushed, hesitating. There were so many questions that they both had. "Well, I live in Autumn City, from the Season Isles..." He swallowed.

Ruby tilted her head. "Autumn City? What's that? I'm not sure if there's a place on Remnant with that name..."

Cliff stared for a moment. "... Remnant? What's Remnant?"

Ruby tilted her head confusedly. "Remnant is... the world we live in. The planet, I guess... I'm surprised you're not familiar with it."

Her words poked at his conscience, exciting his fears and worst-case anticipations.

Cliff swallowed. "Okay, so…" He began, licking his lips nervously.

Ruby tilted her head. "Hmm?"

"... I've never heard of this Remnant you speak of... Uh, by any chance, have you heard of a place called Avalon?"

Ruby stared at him for a long moment. "No, never... Why do you ask?"

Cliff sighed. "Avalon is a…" How was he going to explain this to her? "Avalon is a planet within the Haven system, and..."

Ruby listened attentively. "Go on."

"It's... where I come from."

Ruby raised an eyebrow. It couldn't be- but, then again... "What do you mean come from?"

Cliff cleared his throat. "I mean that, I've never heard of a place called Remnant before." He took it slowly.

"There were abnormally high amounts of Aether- a naturally-occurring substance on Avalon, in a place where we suspected the Grimm might be originating from. I was sent on a mission that led me here. Upon going there, I lost contact with my navigator. And then, I ended up here…"

A moment passed. Ruby's eyes lit up. "So, you're telling me… you came from another world?"

Cliff nodded. "Apparently... I mean, at first, I assumed this place was underground, but you claim that it's just a whole other realm." He rubbed his arm nervously. "Though, I have absolutely no clue how I ended up here, of all places…"

He sighed. "I'm not at all sure what happened… Do you believe what I'm saying?"

Ruby waved a hand. "I can't say that I think you're nuts. You say you don't know how you physically got here?"

Cliff shook his head. "It was almost like blacking out, really... like momentary amnesia. I was running from that monster thing, and then suddenly, I felt really dizzy, like everything was spinning... It lasted for a moment, and then I ended up here."

"Huh…" Ruby said, blinking. "Well, I noticed something weird as soon as you hit the cave floor." A chuckle came from her lips.

Cliff managed a smile. "True, one doesn't simply appear out of nowhere..." Then, he got that feeling of worry again. He sighed deeply. "So… You really believe me?"

The huntress stroked her chin. "The Grimm came into your world?" She asked, wanting to get a general idea of the situation.

A nod from Cliff answered her question. "Only wolves, though, none like that scorpion-"

"Deathstalker, and the wolves are called Beowolves."

"-Deathstalker, that we just fought."

She nodded. "It's strange… But I can't say that I don't believe you."

Cliff loosened his posture. "Thank you… I just don't know how I'll get back." He ran a hand through his hair.

Ruby smirked, and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm positive that there's going to be a way that you can get back home."

Cliff looked at her, smiling. Ever so slightly, he was reminded of his younger, fifteen year-old self. Intellectual, while also being hopeful, supportive, and optimistic.

"Thanks, I really appreciate the reassurance." He said, smiling.

Ruby grinned. "Still though, it's nice to meet you!"

Cliff sighed internally, relieved. The last thing he wanted was to look like a silly kid who claimed he was an alien. "It's nice to meet you too."

He chuckled nervously. "I'm going to have to lean on you when it comes to local customs…" He noted.

Ruby gave an energetic thumbs up. "You can count on me!" She announced, smiling.

Cliff clutched his chin, looking down in thought. As much as he wanted to go back to his own world, there was still the possibility that the Grimm would keep invading. Would he have to destroy the source of the Grimm in this world to stop them from crossing over to his?

He cleared his throat. "Can you tell me more about these so-called Grimm?"

"They've been here since the dawn of mankind." Said Ruby. "Over time, we've learned to fight them, and defend the world from their wrath."

"I see… But, why are they here?"

"Nobody knows for sure… They're attracted to negative feelings such as anger, hatred, despair, et cetera."

Cliff looked around the cavern, glancing at the deceased Deathstalker. "So, why exactly did you come to this cave?" There was still her story to explain.

"I was investigating. Apparently, there were reports of an abnormally high abundance of Grimm somewhere around here. I followed a Beowolf into this cave." She informed, humming all the while.

"And you haven't seen it since it entered?"

"No. That Deathstalker was the only Grimm I actually saw."

Cliff receded into his thoughts again. Sure, there was anger and ill-intention in Autumn City, as well as the rest of the region, but enough to attract monsters from another realm?

Ruby spoke up, interrupting the thought. "You were doing some flashy tricks earlier, during that fight."

Cliff smirked. "You mean this?" From his palm, he produced a red-colored ball of radiant energy.

Ruby stared at it for a moment, like a cat eyeing a new toy, and tried poking it with her finger. Cliff quickly took his hand away before she could. "I highly suggest you don't touch it, it's very hot."

"What is it?"

"I can manipulate and generate heat and heat energy at will. It comes in handy a lot, actually."

Ruby curiously stared. Then, her eyes lit up. "Does that mean you can prepare oven or microwavable foods without having to put them in the oven or microwave?"

"Well, pretty much..."

Her eyes went starry. "Can you bake cookies when we get back to the academy?!"

Cliff raised an eyebrow. "Academy? What academy?"

"Oh, see, I came here with a team."

Cliff blinked. He still didn't know anything about this new world. "A team, you say?"

"Yes. Three others. We go to an academy dedicated to training young hunters and huntresses- people who defend the world from the forces of the Grimm. During the first year, we're put into teams of four, who are our allies for the next three years. We were chosen as Team R-W-B-Y during the first semester. I'm the team leader."

Cliff cocked his head. "So, you all fight Grimm together?" He smirked.

Ruby nodded. "We're Freshman from Beacon Academy- the hunter academy, of the Kingdom of Vale. There are four Kingdoms. Vale, Atlas, Vacuo, and Mistral, each with their own academies."

Cliff chuckled. "I'd be delighted to know more about this world… And I'm eager to meet your friends."

Ruby giggled. "You might like them. But, uhm… Your otherworldliness, as I'd call it, might not sit well with them…"

"I can imagine so… They didn't see me pop into existence like you did."

"Hehe, yeah…"

"But, that's irrelevant. Either way… Do you think they may have found something?" Cliff asked, folding his arms over his chest.

Ruby furrowed her brow. "If they did, they would have told me… Though, I think this cave might be the Grimm nesting grounds."

Cliff raised an eyebrow. "I see..." He rested his hand at his waist. "I'll come with you, either way. I'd love to meet your friends. What are their names, by the way?"

Ruby nodded. "Oh, well, W is for-"

"Ruby!" The call of a name echoed from where the huntress had entered. From the tunnel emerged a girl in white, wearing a dignified-looking attire. Beside her, a girl in black.

Ruby tsked. "Perfect timing."

"Ruby!" The girl in white called, trotting over. "Do you have anything to report?"

Ruby nodded. "I think I may have found the Grimm's nesting grounds, and it's deeper into this cave. I watched a Beowolf retreat into here."

The girl in white docked her hands at her waist. "Great. Blake and I didn't find anything. We came running to your destination. You had been standing here for a while."

Ruby rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah, and I was just about to contact you… Have you seen Yang?"

The black-clothed lady chimed in. "I think she's still searching with Oobleck. But, what do you plan to do?"

Ruby could think of nothing other to do than to proceed. "The nesting grounds are probably deeper into the cave. I think our best bet is to head onward."

The girl in white nodded in agreement. "Though, I think we should prepa-..."

It was only then that she noticed the pulverized Deathstalker wedged into the floor. It wasn't just pulverized, it was obliterated.

Her sight settled on the boy next to her teammate. Realizing he had been there for the whole conversation, Weiss flushed red. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't even see you there..."

Cliff suppressed a snicker.

Ruby smiled. "Oh, Weiss, Blake, this is Cliff. I…" She hesitated. "... I met him here. He saved me from an oncoming Deathstalker."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "You slayed it?"

"Not without my help."

Weiss looked at him again. He didn't have a weapon. "Impressive… Cliff? Are you a Hunter, by any chance?"

Cliff's voice caught in his throat, as he looked to Ruby. She only gave him a nervous smile.

He shook his head. "I'm more of an explorer… Weiss? Blake, was it? I assume you're both Huntresses?"

They nodded their heads in unison. "And, we commend you for your bravery," Weiss said, smiling. "Don't worry, from here, we can take on the Grimm threat ourselves. Right, Ruby?"

Ruby turned to Cliff, a nervous look on her face. "Well, actually… Cliff here says he wants to be a Hunter!"

The boy flinched. He hadn't directly said that, but...

"Oh?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow. "Not just anyone can be a Hunter, you know. It takes strength, determination, and most of all, bravery. If you have even the slightest lack of confidence, I advise you think twice about this."

Cliff smirked internally. He had all of those requirements, and a little bit more. "I assure you, I think-"

"You can't _think._ You have to _know._ " Weiss strictly snapped. "This kind of job is not meant for the indecisive."

Cliff held his tongue. They were quite strict about this, but he had to be a Hunter, if he wanted to stay with Ruby. "Please, let me help. I'd feel awful if I didn't lend a hand." He begged.

Weiss looked at him, her mouth bent into a frown. She didn't think she could trust an 'explorer' to assist them.

Ruby chimed in. "Weiss, Blake, I promised I'd help him become a Hunter. Believe me, he'll be a huge help. Think of it as a tour!" She zoomed to Weiss' side, making an imaginative gesture with her hand. "You can totally show off your combat proficiency to this newbie here!"

A protest from Cliff almost came up as a reflex.

Weiss rolled her eyes. Though, she did want to show this new boy how a pro did things. "Alright… you can come with us. Think of this, your assistance to us, as a test. From what you can do, I'll judge whether or not you're fit to be a Hunter."

It was a challenge- one he couldn't pass up. It was what he needed to do to excel in this strange, foreign world.

Cliff chuckled, popping his knuckles once and knocking them together.

" _Bring it on._ "


End file.
